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Started the deck restoration today. What a mess underneath. The main reason I don't believe in using the side or rear discharge baffles - they hold onto so much grass and make it pretty tough to clean the underside after each mowing which I highly recommend to extend the life of your deck shells.

If you have an overhead track with chainfall it works great allowing access to both sides at the same time when using an impact driver on one side and a box-end ratchet on the other. About one hour to completely strip the deck and off to the sandblaster next week.

Using my bench tester I evaluated the two HD motors and they spun up real nice. May not have to re-build them after all. I will have them checked out though. I will be picking up 2 HD motors this week - one to complete the 3-some and one for a spare.

This deck is actually much better than the one that is about to go out the door with Dough. That one needed new metal in 3 places. I had to farm out that work however now I have a nifty little mig welder that should be up to any task. I can't wait to put this grass muncher on Burly and buzz around the yard next year.

The HD motors have the same size armature winding 'form' (for lack of a better term), so electromechanically they are identical. The wire might be a heavier gauge but I'm inclined to believe it was the same gauge. However, I can't remember ever measuring the two to compare so I can't say for sure.

The HD case is longer, and so the armature shaft is too. This helps to dissipate heat generated during operation better, allowing the motor to be run harder and/or longer (greater duty cycle). Thus the 'heavy duty' designation.

First two photos show the deck back from the sandblaster - one coat of Rustoleum primer to keep the surface rust at bay. Bedliner to be applied when weather warms up a bit.

3rd photo is of restored deck - note outline of deep pitting from not cleaning deck after each use. Pitting required reinforced mower deck arm areas. Note the pattern of pitting - exact outline of the baffle. The rest of the deck metal is in very good condition.

Steve, I have been looking over your deck restoration and like the work you did. I find it satisfying to take something somewhat "used up" and try and return it to its former glory!

I wonder if you or others who might see this thread can add some background info to GE's evolution of the mower deck design. I see yours has the stamped "fingers" radiating from motors (for additional rigidity). I also have a deck that has an angle iron welded across the breadth of the deck on top. Which came first? Similarly I wonder if a list of model/serial numbers for the decks has been generated to try and date these design changes?

Also, I know you would rather not use the deflector as they catch and accumulate grass. I was wondering though if you have ever seen the side discharge deflector option which is described in the mower deck manual? I would like to try the side discharge feature but have never run across the side discharge deflector.

Keeping the baffles in place on the earlier (angle iron style) decks is very important for structural rigidity. The decks twist without them and over time crack. I've seen this first hand in decks with the baffles removed.

The decks you see with rot around the baffles is due to owner neglect, and is not a good reason to remove them all together.